Demand grows for workers with Linux skills

When Joseph L. Guallar-Esteve was laid off from
IBM in the summer of 2001, he thought it would take months to find
another job in technology. After all, he had seen some of his friends
remain unemployed for nearly a year before finding work.

But Guallar-Esteve had an edge: He knew Linux.

The free open-source software is becoming an increasingly popular
alternative to Microsoft's Windows for running large computer networks
and desktop PCs. That surging demand is good news for technology
workers familiar with Linux.

Guallar-Esteve, who taught himself Linux, landed a new job at Raleigh,
N.C.-based Red Hat, the world's largest Linux distributor, in a little
over a month. After about a year there, he got a call from another
technology company in Greenville, offering him a similar position
making more money. He accepted.